Smartphone apps that can save you money

By Jay Dougherty May 24, 2011, 2:06 GMT

Washington - No one has to tell you that the smartphone you're carrying doesn't come cheap. But what you might not know is that the little device can save you plenty of money, too. You just need to know which apps to use to make it start giving back. Here are a few.

--- Airfare Pro

There are plenty of smartphone apps that can help you save money on airfare. One of the best is Airfare Pro (http://bit.ly/ltHTzf). Available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry, the makers are this app are so confident that it can save you money on airfares that they offer a 110 per cent money back guarantee. Geared toward those who want to find the cheapest flights possible, it will conduct real-time searches for flights around the world and, like a good travel website, allows you to specify your preferences regarding stops, layovers, airports, and more. Multi-destination searches are also supported.

--- Cheaper calls

There are smartphone apps that can help you bypass whatever outrageous calling fees your cell carrier charges. Start with Skype's smartphone app, dubbed Skype Mobile (http://bit.ly/avxRvG). You maybe able to use it to access the Skype service - which is either free of very low-cost - and make an end run around the high-priced charges or minute limitations of your cell service.

Not all cell phone carriers allow the use of Skype over their networks. But those that don't generally allow you to use Skype Mobile over your phone's Wi-Fi connection, which could still allow you to make calls for next to nothing.

Also check out the Google Voice app (http://bit.ly/11SQiz), available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Palm, Nokia, and Windows Phone. Pair it with a free Google Voice number (https://www.google.com/voice), and you can make very inexpensive international phone calls directly from your smartphone.

--- Coupon apps

Coupons can you save you money - in real-world stores and online. So it makes sense to have access to coupons on your smartphone so that you can look for them either when you need them or when you have time. There are a number of smartphone apps for finding coupons. Coupon Sherpa (http://bit.ly/BofgB), available for iPhone and iPod Touch only, delivers coupons directly to your palm, including those you can use online or in a real store.

One of the hottest ways to save money these days is by being a member of Groupon, the service that lets you team up with others to incentivise stores to give group discounts. Groupon Mobile (http://gr.pn/9hPCUi) brings that power to your smartphone. Available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry, you can use Groupon Mobile to share deals via Facebook and Twitter as well. It's not uncommon for Groupon users to snag savings of 50 to 90 per cent off of retail prices.

--- Restaurant apps

How much tip should you leave at restaurants, hotels, and elsewhere? When faced with this question, many people tip too much. Don't be caught questioning again. Download the free QuikTip, available for iPhone (http://bit.ly/8FLnol) and BlackBerry (http://bit.ly/9RKIvC). With a couple of clicks, you can quickly calculate the correct tip based upon the customary percentage. The app remembers your usual tip percentage from session to session, too, so once you enter it, you only need to enter the cost of the meal next time.

And how about if you want to save money by splitting the bill among a bunch of people? Install Tip and Split, available for iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7. Like QuickTip, this app can make short work of calculating the tip amount, but its forte is in helping you split the bill among any number of people.

--- General finance smarts

Did you know that by asking for a lower interest rate from your bank, you just might get it? Or that going a bit slower on the road can put money back into your pocket by saving you big on gas? Knowledge is usually the key to saving money, and that's exactly what the 100+ money saving tips app (http://bit.ly/jMYzEG) gives you. Available only for iPhone, this app can is a treasure trove of ideas, sorted into categories such as employment, clothing, energy, finances, and entertainment. It'll cost you 99 cents, but after that, it's pure money-saving knowledge.